Hot Stuff - Dishing Up Fall Fruit Desserts

Posted: Saturday, September 1, 2012

This is the time of year for warm fruit desserts. Who can resist a warm dish of apple crisp? But did you ever wonder what distinguishes a crisp from a crumble or a crumble from a cobbler? Well, they're all cooked fruit desserts, but what differentiates them are their toppings. From crusts to crumbs, we're giving you a peek into what defines eight of our favorite fruity fall treats:

BETTY – A baked "pudding" made with layers of spiced, sugared fruit and buttered breadcrumbs.

CLAFOUTIS – A French cobbler with fruit on the bottom, custard atop the fruit and a rough batter crust baked on top. Often made with cherries.

COBBLER – Something like a fruit stew with dumplings (a "spoon pie"), in which biscuit dough is dropped onto the fruit before baking. (The dish supposedly was named cobbler because the cooked dumplings resemble cobblestones.)

CRISP – A deep-dish baked fruit dessert made with a crumb or streusel topping. The classic.

CRUMBLE – A British baked dessert in which raw fruit is topped with a crumbly pastry mixture and baked. Similar to a crisp but often less sweet, thick or generally "rich."

GRUNT – Similar to a cobbler, but steamed rather than baked.

PANDOWDY – A rustic spoon pie with fruit on the bottom and a rolled crust on top, which is broken up to allow the juices to come through (think messy pie without the bottom crust).

SLUMP – Made with cooked or uncooked fruit topped with biscuit dough or pie crust, this dessert can be either baked or steamed. It can also be made with the fruit on top instead of on the bottom. (If you make a mistake with another of the above recipes, call it a slump instead and you're covered!)